Libya’s PM warns Europe will continue to face terror unless member states help stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean
Faiez Serraj wants to tackle the migrant crisis as the number of arrivals in Italy is set to beat last year's record high
EUROPE will face an ever-growing terror threat unless member states helps Libya stem the tide of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, the country's prime minister has warned.
Faiez Serraj - head of the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli - launched a fresh appeal to the EU to tackle the migrant crisis as the number of arrivals in Italy is set to beat last year's record high with four months remaining.
He warned Europe's leaders that failure to combat the problem will see an increasing number of terrorists crossing the Med posing as migrants.
Mr Serraj said Libya's southern border was open to tens of thousands of people who cross into the country un-vetted.
He told The Times: "When migrants reach Europe, they will move freely. If, God forbid, there are terrorist elements among the migrants, a result of any incident will affect all of the EU."
His sober warning comes days after Barcelona became the latest European city to be hit by Islamic terrorists.
Nearly 100,000 have crossed the Med from Libya into Italy this year - and there are an estimated 700,000 migrants in Libya.
Mr Serraj warned that Italy's "social and democratic fabric" is under strain from the inflow - and resentment is growing against the EU for its lack of action on the migrant crisis.
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Libya has issued the EU with a five-point plan to solve the crisis - including help with policing its southern border.